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Set amidst jewel-like crater lakes, Rotorua offers stunning, contrasting scenery
in an active volcanic wonderland of spouting geysers, bubbling mud pools, fumaroles
and natural thermal springs and spas. Further south, NZ ’s largest lake, Lake Taupo,
is fed by sparkling ice-melt from the mountains of the Tongariro National Park.
It too was formed by volcanic activity - an eruption so large it was recorded by
Chinese and Roman writers. The region’s extraordinary landscape and unique range
of cultural experiences make it a ‘must-see’ on any NZ itinerary. We spend three
days travelling from Whakatane to Napier via Rotorua and Taupo. We explore several
thermal parks, soak in hot pools, enjoy a traditional Maori hangi, dine on trout,
take a balloon ride over the Huka Falls, and travel the historic Taupo-Napier highway
to the Art Deco city of Napier and the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers.
day two: rotorua to taupo
Key
- Destinations
- Apex Locations
We welcome a slower start to the day but I hurry Bob along somewhat as I have a
specialtreat in store. At 10 am we pull into the carpark at Wai-O-Tapu, purchase
tickets and join a small group seated at the Lady Knox geyser. “It only erupts once
a day,” I say. We sit down to wait and after five minutes Bob’s beginning to fidget.
After ten he strums his fingers on his knees. Finally he says: “We could be waiting
all day.”
At 10.15 sharp a park ranger walks to the geyser and begins to tell her story. The
Lady Knox was accidentally discovered in 1896 when prisoners washing their laundry
were interrupted by a towering spray of water out of the ground. Now, every day
at 10.15, the geyser is coaxed into action with Sunlight soap, much to the amazement
of onlookers - including Bob, who waggles his fi nger at me as the hot soapy water
spouts high.
After that, we take a walk through the park’s panoramic hot and cold pools, fumaroles
and boiling mud, which display an amazing array of colours. For a time we sit beside
the bubbling champagne pool with its impressive ochre-tinged edge.
Then we continue to Taupo and stop at Prawn Farm in Wairakei Tourist Park, a geothermal-heated
prawn farm where kiwi ingenuity is at its fi nest! Fresh water tropical prawns flourish
here in recycled geothermal water from Wairakei Power Station. We take a short tour,
then dine on freshly harvested prawns at its restaurant overlooking the Waikato
River. NZ’s longest river, it begins its 425 kilometre journey to the sea from Lake
Taupo where it pushes through a long narrow gorge before plunging over the Huka
Falls. There are a number of good walks in the area but instead we opt for a balloon
ride with Peter Paalvast, or Captain Pierre as he’s known around town.
To read the full story
Please click the link to download the full
whakatane to hawkes bay scenic drive, courtesy of apex car rentals new
zealand... the kiwi way
to read more extracts from our driving holiday's guidebook please click on any of
the following links:
north island scenic drives
south island scenic drives
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